Grit, Depth, and Defense: Short-Handed Zags Dominate Seattle U to Stay Hot
SEATTLE - Mark Few and top assistant Brian Michaelson have seen just about everything during their long run at Gonzaga. But this past week? This was uncharted territory.
What was supposed to be a routine two-game swing through Washington turned into a test of depth, resilience, and identity. First came the blow in practice-Braden Huff, one of the Zags’ most versatile forwards, went down with a left knee injury that’ll sideline him for four to eight weeks.
Less than 24 hours later, as Gonzaga was wrapping up a 21-point win over Washington State, star big man Graham Ike came down awkwardly contesting a shot. By the next morning, Ike’s right ankle was bad enough to rule him out of Saturday’s game at Seattle U.
Losing one All-American candidate is tough. Losing two in back-to-back days?
That’s the kind of thing that could derail a team’s rhythm, confidence, and even its season. But instead of folding, Gonzaga responded with a statement-rolling into Seattle and locking down a 71-50 win over a Redhawks squad that had taken them to overtime just weeks earlier.
“It was spectacular,” Few said postgame. “I’m just so proud of these guys.
To lose the caliber of players we’ve lost, that’s never happened before. And for the guys to respond like that, especially on the defensive end, it says everything about the character in that locker room.”
The Zags didn’t just survive without Huff and Ike-they thrived. That’s nearly 36 points per game and five WCC Player of the Week honors sitting on the bench, yet Gonzaga looked like a team that had been playing this way all season.
“This is up there,” Michaelson added. “We’ve had some great responses in the history of this program, but this one’s special.
We had to reinvent ourselves on the fly. We thought we had it figured out with B-Huff out, then Graham goes down, and suddenly it’s like, ‘Alright, what now?’”
What now, indeed. Gonzaga now sits at 19-1 overall and 7-0 in WCC play, riding a 12-game winning streak and holding the fifth-best start in program history. They also leapfrogged Saint Mary’s in the conference standings after the Gaels took their first WCC loss earlier in the evening.
New Faces, Same Fight
With the frontcourt depleted, the Zags leaned on their depth-and got major contributions across the board.
Mario Saint-Supery led the offensive charge, pouring in a career-high 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. The freshman looked unfazed by the moment, stepping into a bigger role and delivering in style.
On the defensive end, it was Ismaila Diagne who set the tone. Making his first career start in Ike’s place, the sophomore center was a wall in the paint.
He grabbed seven of his eight rebounds in the first half and blocked a shot early to send a message. Seattle U tested him right away, going to 7-footer Austin Maurer on the opening possession.
Diagne stood tall, forced a miss, and snagged the board. That set the tone for the night.
And then there was Jalen Warley-doing everything, everywhere, all at once. The senior wing guarded five different positions, including a successful stint in the second half against Maurer. He finished with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists, and four steals-vintage Warley, playing with poise and purpose.
“With smaller lineups, we just had to embrace it,” Warley said. “We knew their tendencies from the first game, so it was about taking them out of their comfort zone. We hung our hat on defense, and I think every guy who came in set the tone.”
Bench Mob Brings the Energy
The Zags didn’t just lean on their starters-they got a serious lift from the bench. Davis Fogle came in firing, scoring 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting and grabbing six rebounds.
Tyon Grant-Foster nearly posted a double-double with nine points and nine boards. Emmanuel Innocenti chipped in seven points and four rebounds, while walk-on Noah Haaland even saw first-half action to help manage Diagne’s minutes.
“Obviously it was terrible to see those two guys go down,” Fogle said. “But they were preaching that we’ve got to figure it out.
Fans always say, ‘Zags got dudes,’ and it’s true. We all can play, and we came in confident, ready to punch first.”
Gonzaga absolutely owned the glass-something that hadn’t been the case in the first meeting between these teams. The Zags out-rebounded Seattle U 44-24, including a 13-6 edge on the offensive boards that led to 14 second-chance points. That kind of effort, especially without your top two bigs, speaks volumes.
Lockdown Mode Activated
Defensively, Gonzaga was as sharp as they’ve been all year. Seattle U shot just 35% from the field and 24% from three, while committing 18 turnovers.
After halftime, the Redhawks managed only 26 points. Brayden Maldonado led Seattle U with 12 points but went just 5-of-12 from the field and 1-of-7 from deep.
The Zags, meanwhile, used a 16-4 run midway through the second half-sparked by Saint-Supery’s shooting-to break the game wide open. It was the kind of stretch that showed Gonzaga’s ability to adapt, respond, and impose its will, even without its usual offensive anchors.
What’s Next
Gonzaga returns home to face Pepperdine on Wednesday at McCarthey Athletic Center. The Zags already handled the Waves once this season, cruising to a 96-56 win in Malibu back on December 28. That marked their 50th straight win in the all-time series.
But even with that streak, and even with their current dominance, the Zags know they’re entering a new phase of the season-one where depth, adaptability, and defense will be the keys to keeping the momentum alive.
And if Saturday night was any indication, they’re more than ready for the challenge.